Sprinkler-head for automatic fire-extinguishers.



No. 897,908. PATENTED SEPT. s, 1908.

-v. LAPHAM. SPRINKLER HEAD FOR AUTOMATIC FIRE EXTINGUISHERS.

APPLICATION I'ILED SEPT. 2, 1899.

I deflector whereby there shall be a full and valve cap is arranged thecollapsible strut.

' construct this yoke as of the proposed methods contemplated the thanthree inches from the ceilingor joist or impossible to installssprinkler system hav- I municating with the distributing pi .v .srmkle-r system. and is normally closed by new [and useful SprinVALENTINE LAPHAM, or cnIcAeo, ILLINOIS.

srnrnrrLnn-Irsnn FOR AUTOMATIC rmn-nxrmeulsnnns.

' Application filed September 2, 1899. Serial No. 793358.

To all whomit may concern:

Be it known that I, VALENTINE LAPHAM, a resident of Chicago, in thecounty of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented a certain ler-Headfor Automatic Fire-Extinguishers, oi which the fol. lowing is aspecification. 1

My invention relates to sprinkler heads for automatic iire sprinklersystems, and its ch ject is to produce a novel, ellicient and sensitivesprinkler head which shall be yokeles s; and provided with an internallyanchoreduninterrupted lateral distribution of the Vilnter.

. The present Well known type of sprinkler head has a yoke between whoseapex and the The arms of this yoke obviously obstruct the freedistribution of the ,water and heretofore it has been proposed byvarious ways to' so that it should present the least interference to thewater, but none discar'dimf of the entire yoke. Another and great"jdjection to the yoke with its conse uentnelght, is that it preventsthe location of the distributing pipes of the sprinkler sys-' tem' nearthe ceiling or joist. .The specifications of the board of underwritersre uire specification of Letters Patent.

and within the hollow cap,

' lugs or projections 9,

'OP'POSIlIB grooves which spring therein,

that the deflectors shall belocated not 0 oser farther than ten inches.The measurements are all reckoned from the deflector. By the use of mysprinkler head, the pipesmay be located at least two inches nearer tothe ceiling or joist than heretofore, which is a matter I of paramountimportance where'it would be ing the usual form of sprinkler head, as inlow basements, stairways, and rooms generally having low ceilings.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is an elevation of my sprinklerhead; Fig. 2, a section. on line 2 ol" Fig. 1; Fig. 3, an eleva-- tionof the nozzle alone; Fig. 4, a section on line 4 of Fig. 2; Fig. 5, anelevation of the vcollasible devices; Fig. 6, an elevation of the ceflector removed; Fig. 7, a'plan of the collapsible link and Immediateparts of the levers.

The nozzle 1 has the usual passage 2 com- 2 es or the i t 1e usual valvecap 3, jr ireierably h Patented. Se t. 8,,19os.

slightly projecting flan ed and also provided with a gasket 5 of bloctin, copper, or other suitable material, represented by the black linein Fig. 2 on the entire under surface or face of the cap. This gasketmakes atight joint and prevents corroding. As shown-1n Fig. 2, theoutlet end of thepassage2 is made.

of slightl greater diameter than the lower portion. t 'ereof for apurpose hereinafter ex plained.

' The preferable, though not necessary, form of deflector is illustratedin the drawings. It is anchored or being Incased by the latter andprojectin preferably slightly above the top plane of-t e outlet'of thenozzle, as seen in. Fig. 3. As shown, the defiector has a cone-shapedportiongfi, which may be provided with a series of holes 7 for thedistribution of Water directly above the sprinkler head. This cone maybemade in-I tegra'l with, or secured to, .a flat strip 8, which may be ofthe form, shown in Fig. (i wherem it is provided at its lower cornerswith small sliding downwards insage 2 so as to extenddiametrically-across the passage. The grooves at 4 are somewhat deepertoirecei've the lugs 9 the stri 8 having-sufuntil thebottom of thegrooves is reached. The nozzle has oppositely located-lugs l1 and 12which are hook-shaped by reason of the inwardly overhanging portions orhooks 13 and 14., respectively. These lugs constitute one means wherebythe collapsible de vices for holding the cap to its seat may be normallyheld to the nozzle.

One of the main objects of-my invention is to provide sprinkler head thewater, and to th s end, as will be noticed,-

the retaining (iGVlCGS, which as shown; fare the lugs on the nozzle, arelocatedsirbStam tially below the line of the water as it emergesfrom thenozzle-and is spread the ector; Furthermore, it is obvious ithatr anyother form or construction of internally located' and anchored deflector-may be -em ployed and also any othersuitable meanslfor" so anchoringthe deflector may be adopted.

Elie collapsible devices ing the valve cap to its sea-t comprise asubstantially held in the passageway? tor normally hold=- vertical lever15 having a projec so 10 in the walls ofthe as:- Y

the bottom 'ficient resiliency to slightly uckle or-bndwhose parts shallpresent no'obstruction to the;distribut'ion of .hook 22 similar to hook16 an der hook 14- on the nozzle and also has a 1'0- JeCt-IOII 23 actingthe same as kicker 17.

- bridge extends diametrically across and sired. form and above the capand a set screw 24 having an' angular head 25 extends transverselycentrally through the bridge and impinges against the central axis ofthe cap.

he levers 15 and 18 res ectively have hooks formed of straight rigt-angled ortions 26'and 27 extending in opposite directions throughholes in the ends of a collapsible or fusible link and having upwardlyextending pointsor ends 28 and 29, respec tively. lhis link may, be madeof any deconstruction for the purpose designed, but "I prefer-thelinksho-wnin my Patent No. 575,121, issued to me on January 12, 1897,and I have illustrated the same herein. Briefly speaking,

prises two strips or members 30 and 31 havmg openings through whichextends the cap link which connects which maintains the shown in Fi or;unusual lieat, wh

are thrown free of the nozzle and the va ve is both .kicked from forcedoil by the -sgrinkler head is thus entirely strippedabove f withaltogether placed in position asfollows: The

vFig. 5, and the parts'are been screwed. upwards je6tl0I120-jSbIOUght tobear under shou der rocker 32, the gether by low fusible solder.

The collapsible devices are asse bled and ooks on the to ends of thelevers are inserted throng the holes injhe link, as shown in cured tothe nozzle. The set screw having sufiiciently, the ro 21 and the partsin this position are then inserted sidewise of the nozzle so that hooks16 .and 22 engage under hooks 13 and 14,- re

spectively, as shown in Fig. '1. The set screw is now screwed downwardsonto the and the result is a tensile strain on the the upper ends of theleis resisted' by the link parts in the 'osition 1; until it becomesfuse by fire ereupon all such arts vers. This strain place :by thelevers and pressure of Water. The

e plane of its outlet and the outcomin water willbe distributed over thewhole'lateral area without obstruction inasmuch as the usual andobjectionable yoke dispensed and the deflector located in thepassageway,f

A's shown, the deflector is internally an- ,ohored in the enlargedportion 2 ofthe pasengaging unthis link com-' parts being suitably heldto now ,readyto be sesion on the link and tendin' bridge-lprovided leveroutw rds and the collapsible link sage'way and its deflector portionproper is contained within the. valve cap. ,The passageway is preferablymade of somewhat larger diameter at the outlet end as before describedin order to compensate for the space taken up by the deflector so thatthere is no liability of interference to the water or diminishing of itsflow. The water thus has a full, free flow between the deflector 8 andthe seat of the valve cap.

Although I have described more or' less precise orms and details ofconstruction, I

do not intend to be understood as limiting myself thereto, as Icontemplate changes in form, the proportion of parts and thesubstitution of equivalents as circumstances ,may

suggest orrender expedient, and without departing from the. spirit of myinvention.

claim: 1. A sprinkler head comprising a'nozzle having a'water outlet, a,closure for such outlet, engaging hookson the nozzle located on oppositesides of the outlet, a substantially.-

vertical lever having a bridge secured there .to and extending laterallythereof, bearing against the closure and engaging one of said hooks atits lower end, a second substantially vertical lever engaging the otherof said hooks at its lower end and bearing against the free end of saidbridge and a collapsible link connectin the upper ends of said levers.2. A sprinkler head comprising a nozzle having a wateroutlet,a closurefor such outlet, and means for normallyholding such closure seatedconsisting of a pair of substantially vertical levers detachablyengaging the nozzle at their lower ends, I one of the'levers having abridge secured thereto and extend ing laterally across and above suchclosure and en a in the other lever wit-h its free 165 end, a col asible link connecting the upper ends of the evers aiigl'a set screwextending throughthe bridge and bearing against the top of the closure,such screw exerting ten,-

bridge om engagement with the other lever. 3. A sprinkler headcomprising a nozzle having a water outlet substantially at the to planethereof, hooks on the nozzle on 'eit herside of theoutlet, a closure forsuch outlet, two substantially vertical levers having hook shaped lowerends engaging under the nozzlehooks, a bridge connected to one of thelevers, extending laterally across and above the closure and engagingunder a shoulder on the other lever intermediate of its length, a setscrew in such: bifidge and bearing-against the closure, such screwtend-- bridge to an oblique, position ng'to force the and to release itfrom engagement with said shoulder when connecting the upper ends of thelevers and tending to resist tensile strain.

4. A; sprinkler head comprising aiiozzle sol to force the 110 the headis shot oil, and a havin a water outlet substantially at the to p nsthereof, hooks on the nozzle on eit er side of the outlet, a closure forsuch outlet, two substantially vertical .le\ ers hav-' mg hook-shapedlower ends engaging under the nozzle hooks, a bridge connected to one ofthe'levers, extending laterally across gaging by the hooks on the upperends of the .evers. 4

5. A sprinkler ad comprising a nozzle having awateroutlei. hooks 13 and14 on the nozzle, a valve cap 3 for the outlet, a lever 18 having a hook22 engaging hook 14, a bridge 19 connected tolever 18 and having a freeend 20, a lever having a hook 16 engaging hook 13 and having a shoulder21 a'bridge '19 connected to leverlS and having,

" the flangewhen the evers collapse,

bearing against said end 20,.'-'a set screw 24 in the bridge and bearingagainst the cap,

and a colla sible link connecting the upper ends of the levers.

6. A sprinkler head comprising a nozzle :having a water outlet, hooks 13and 14 on the nozzle, a valve cap 3 for the outlet, a lever 18 having ahook-22 engaging hook 14,

a free end 20, a lever 15- having a hook 16- engaginghook 13 and havinga shoulder 21 hearing against said end 20, aset screw 24 in the bridgeandbearing against the cap, hooks 26 and 27 on levers 15'and 18,respectively, and a collapsible link attached to said books 26 and 27and connecting between the upper ends of the levers.

. 7 A sprinkler head comprisinga nozzle having water out-let hooks 13and 14 on the nozzle, a valve cap 3 for the outlet, a. lever 18 having ahook 22 engaging hook '14, a

. bridge 19 connected to lever 18 and having a free end 20, a lever 15having a hook 16 hearing againstsaid end 20, a set screw 24 in thebridge and bearing against the cap, said cap having a flange 4,projections 17 and 23 on the inner sides of the lower ends ,of the.levers and ada ted'to engage under 7 and. a collapsible linkjconnectingthe .upper ends of the levers.

8. A sprinkler head comprising a nozzle. having a water passage of"greater diameter 'nearthe outlet,'a closure for such outlet, means for"normally holding such closure seated, and-a stationary deflectorsecured in" such at its greater diameter and con-' of a rforated inveited cone which .projeets slightly-above the top planeof the engaginghook 13 and having a shoulder 21 outlet and is of ;ubst antially thesame diameter as the greax er diameter of such passage. 9. A sprinklerhead comprising a nozzle having a water passage and outlet provided withopposite moves in the interior walls of such outlet, w h grooves extendfrom the mouth of the outlt" inwards, a valve ca for such outlet, means"for normally ho ding such ca seated, and a deflecting devi ce mountecinside the water assage and coinprising a flat strip exten ingdiametrically across the assage and a circular disk on such strip or thelateraldeflection of the water, and catch mechanism whereby the stripmay be anchored in the nozzle when forced inwards in the groove.

10. A sprinkler head comprising a nozzle having a water passage andoutlet, a valve ca) for such outlet, means for normally ho ding such capseated and a deflecting device mounted inside the water passage andcomprising a flat strip extending diametrically across the passage andsecured in the grooves in thefwalls of such passage, such groovesextending from the mouth of the outletlongitudina ly inwards, and aninverted conical spreader or deflector proper on the strip and havingholes for the passage of water directly above the head, such deflectorbeing arranged axially with the outlet or passage and projectingslightly above the top plane of the water outlet.

11. A sprinklerhead comprising a nozzle having a water outlet'or passageprovided with opposite longitudinal grooves 10 made (lee er at the innerends, a alve ca for suc outlet, means for normally be ding such capseated and a deflecting device consisting of a flatlstrip extendingdiametrically across the passage and having pro'ections sliding in saidgrooves and engaged y such deeper portion I thereof, and a deflectorproper on said strip and projecting slightly above the to plane of thewater outlet forthe full, free ateral distribution of the water.

12. A sprinkler head comprising a nozzle having a bottom outlet, aclosure for such outlet, levers pivotally" connected at their inner endsto sa1d nozzle, a cross-piece arranged between saidlevers .and'securedto one of them, a set-screw working in said cross-piece and exertingtension upon the closure'to hold it closed and upon the levers to forcetheir outer ends apart, and a fusible link connecting the outer ends ofsuch levers and receiving and coming the tension exerted bythe set screwupon the-levers. v VALENTINE LAPHAM. Witnesses:

.LOUISE E. BERAGE,

Harm; O. -HALVORSON.

normally over-

